How Bree Tanner Got Her Life Back
by Claire Violet Thorpe
Summary: Here's what would happen IF the Volturi allowed Bree to live and the Quileutes found out about Bella being turned. But can Bree function as a Cullen?
1. Chapter 1

Here's a story that takes place IF the Volturi allow Bree to live and the Quileutes knew about Bella being turned.

Disclaimer: I own nothing but this story.

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><p>"Take care of that," said Jane to Felix. "I want to go home."<p>

Felix smiled as he pounced on poor Bree. She was doomed. So this is what it feels like to truly die, she thought to herself as she waited for the blow that would send her to her eternal resting place, be it Heaven or Hell.

Just then, a voice yelled out, "WAIT!" They all turned around and saw BELLA staring at them. She said, "Uh, I think you guys should let her live."

"Why should we?" Jane smirked. "After all, she was part of a group of newborns who were programmed to kill you. We don't give second chances."

"Well, what if she could prove her usefulness?" Bella said. "Then can she live?"

"We'll think about it," said Alec. "But first, let's discuss your future. You must be turned before this year ends or we will destroy you and the Cullen Clan."

"I guess you need to speak to Sam about this," said Carlisle. "But for now, I have a patient to treat."

He took everyone back to the Cullen house and said to Esme, "you need to keep an eye on Bree until I return. We must discuss her fate as a family."

Esme nodded as she watched Carlisle leave. Bella stood up and said, "I believe that you need to talk to Aro before you rush to judgment. Maybe Bree didn't want to be a part of this. I've seen people being executed and they didn't agree to be part of the crime that they are accused of. So in this sense, she is innocent until proven guilty."

"Indeed," said Jane as she reached for her cell phone.

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><p>At Jacob's house, the other Wolves gathered around, all waiting for a word on Jacob's fate. He had gotten hurt while trying to stop Leah from being killed by a newborn.<p>

At length, Carlisle came out and said, "The worst is over. He'll be fine in the morning. But Sam, we need to talk."

"Indeed," said Sam. "Why should we?"

"First off, I'm sorry about Leah, but somehow, she was asking for it. You need to say something to Seth. He blames himself for her death," said Carlisle. Sam nodded grimly. Carlisle also said, "We are having a meeting about something, and I think you must be a part of it."

"Indeed," said Sam. "I shall dispatch Embry and Quil to keep an eye on Jacob. But we and the elders wish to see what is going on and mayhaps have our say on this matter."

Seth nodded forlornly; in less than a few weeks, his father and sister were dead. Things just did not go well for the Clearwater family. "I think God hates us," he said. "So that's why He allowed dad and Leah to die."

"God does not hate you," said Carlisle. "He loves you. But your father was in great pain when he died; plus eating all those fried fatty foods weren't good for him. But as for Leah, she shouldn't have remained bitter; bitterness has killed more people than hunger and diseases combined."

Sue nodded and said, "So why do we meet at your place?"

"This is important," said Carlisle. "It will affect you as well. I'm trying to lessen the impact for all our sakes."

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><p>Bree sat alone in the room; everyone was staring at her. No one knew what to say or do. But the meeting was going to determine whether she would live or die.<p>

Just then, the door opened and Carlisle walked in with the Quileutes following him. The Cullens and Bella turned to see them. Bree gasped as she saw them, knowing that her fate was in their hands…

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	2. Chapter 2

At length, everyone had gathered in Carlisle's office. They were all discussing the fate of one Bree Tanner as well as Bella's change. Billy said, "Bring out the girl, so that we may meet her."

At once, Bree walked into the office. Everyone gasped as they looked at her.

Sam said, "Did no one offer to help you or anything like that?"

Bree said to him, "Why are you helping me? I could kill you all in a heartbeat."

Paul said, "Well, that may be true, but still, you are a lost soul who needs a friend…and maybe them."

Esme nodded and then said, "We could use someone like you, providing that you will follow our diet and rules."

"She will, or we'll have to destroy you," said Jane with an evil smirk on her face. Sam shook his head and decided that he didn't like Jane at all.

Billy said to her, "So why are you so bent on Bella becoming like…you?"

"She has to, and so do you," said Demetri. "Aro doesn't like it if any human knows about the existence of vampires; he decreed that anyone who knows about vampires was to be either killed or turned themselves."

"Well, I'd like to take that up with him," said Billy.

"Indeed you shall," said Alec. "He would very much like to hear about the tribe of shapeshifters."

Carlisle said to Jane, "I heard that you would let Victoria destroy us all. How could you?"

Jane said, "I am sorry; had I known that you were the clan in question, I would not have allowed it. I hope this will not diminish your friendship with Aro."  
>"Only he and I can decide that," Carlisle snapped. "Now please leave; you have caused enough trouble for today."<p>

"Very well," said Jane. "But when next we visit, Bella had better be turned. Bree must learn the laws and as for you shapeshifting dogs…I'll let Aro deal with you when he comes."

The guards left the house as Billy said, "Well, that went well."

Sam said, "They know about us."

"I know about you guys too," Bella snapped back.

"Indeed," said Billy.

Bree looked around her; she had no idea that in less than 18 hours after the big fight, her life had been spared. But she knew that she had some issues to deal with upon her first full day as a Cullen…

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	3. Chapter 3

Charlie frowned when Bella told him that Leah Clearwater had been killed in a car accident while she and Alice were on their way home from Seattle.

He had known Leah her whole life and the thought about her dying was a bit...much.

Everyone had told him that Leah's accidental death was unavoidable, how the other driver had lost control of the car and slammed into her, and how Bella and Alice had arrived too late to save her. Charlie frowned when he saw Bella sitting in her room, looking quite forlorn. She blamed herself for Leah's death and Edward was there, trying to convince her that it wasn't her fault.

But was it really Bella's fault? Was Leah Clearwater really dead?

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><p>Jacquel frowned as she said, "Let's keep going; if we want to get to Vancouver by midnight, then we shouldn't be idling."<p>

Ron frowned and took his place in the car. Sabrina sat in the front seat, which left Ron in the backseat. He said, "Are you sure you want to be doing this? Leaving for Canada seems a bit…harsh if you ask me."

"It's not like we have a choice," said Sabrina. "What, with Jacquel being pregnant and my family…situation, I don't think it's wise for us to chance it and stay home."

"And besides," said Jacquel, "why did you come with us? You don't have any issues to begin with."

"I hate my family," said Ron.

"No shit, Sherlock," said Jacquel. Sabrina stared at her. "I meant to say that your mom is a nagging whore and your dad neglects you. Your siblings are no better. And Harry and Hermione stabbed us in the back when they decided to run off and get married without us knowing about it."

"Indeed," said Sabrina as Jacquel started up the car. "And I'm not even about to get into your slut of a sister…"

They had been in Portland, Oregon for a few hours, where Jacquel had to get a car to continue the rest of their journey to Canada. After getting everything taken care of, all three piled into the car and set off towards Seattle.

That was a few hours ago.

Now all three had been on the back road to Vancouver after Jacquel decided that the main highway leading to Seattle was a bit too much on her stretched-out body. Sabrina forced her into the back seat and continued driving. It was just their luck that they had chosen to drive up on the spot where the Cullen/Quileute/newborn fight was happening.

"Talk about luck!" Ron said. "If we make it to Canada several hours before our deadline, then maybe we can get the good rooms."

"Nope," said Jacquel. "My grandfather was quite particular over what he liked and didn't like. He only liked those grand hotel rooms and that's where we're staying in."

"I see," said Ron. "Why couldn't my father be more like your grandfather? He was smart and clever and he didn't regard…people like a science experiment."

"How lucky am I?" Jacquel said back.

"Oh my," said Sabrina as she stared ahead of them. "Better watch out, because we're about to be in a world of trouble here!" A huge wolf had somehow ended up in front of Jacquel's car.

"Be careful!" Ron yelled. "I am NOT dying in a car accident in the middle of some backwater town!"

"Hit something cheap…and hopefully replaceable!" Jacquel yelled out, but it was too late for them. The wolf slammed into the car, sending all three spinning and screaming as the car came to a stop in the middle of the road, but facing the wrong direction. The wolf laid there before them, not moving.

"This is all your fault," Ron snapped at Sabrina.

"I'm getting the first aid kit," Jacquel yelled out as she grabbed a red bag and rushed to the wolf's side. She said, "Please, just…don't be dead; I've already had enough to deal with right now and a dead wolf isn't going to be one of them."

Ron frowned as he saw the wolf transform into a woman. "Uh, guys, we better hurry up before someone notices," he said.

Jacquel and Sabrina also stared at the mysterious woman. "Where did she come from?" Sabrina asked. Jacquel frowned, knowing that if the wolf had turned into a woman, she knew where they were.

And the funny thing about it was, she wasn't sure if she could handle the truth about where they were.

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><p>"For the last time, Bella, it was a horrible accident," said Alice sternly, which told Bella to drop the conversation regarding Leah and leave it alone.<p>

"I think she gets it, Alice," said Edward. They and Jasper had settled in Bella's room, hoping to get her to calm down long enough so she could go visit Jacob.

"I know what I saw," said Alice sternly. "Bella knows what she saw. This isn't right, Edward. Something else is at work, something that is determined to crush what little alliance that we have with the Quileutes."

Just then, Sam was knocking in the front door. Edward zipped downstairs and answered it, and Sam said, "We found a dead wolf lying buried under the leaves on your side of the territory."

"Is it Leah?" Edward hesitated to say.

Sam looked at his with a guilty look on his face. "Unfortunately, yes. There were Quileute symbols on its shoulder, just like Leah had a symbol on her shoulder. She's gone."

Edward looked behind him and saw Bella, Alice, and Jasper staring at Sam. He knew that it wasn't over for them; it had only begun.

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><p>Bree sat in her new room, which was also the guest room. Rosalie and Emmett were bustling about and Esme was cleaning up from the Wolves' visit.<p>

Carlisle was pacing the hallway, trying to figure out what to say to Bree. He knew that Victoria had Bree turned and tried to use her to destroy the Cullens and Bella, but who was Bree? Where did she come from? What was she doing in Seattle when the vampire attacks were going on there?

"You're going to wear down the carpet if you keep doing that," said Emmett. He stared at Carlisle and said, "Carlisle?"

"I don't know what to say to her," said Carlisle. "And I'm sure that she's not ready to talk just yet."

"We have to know who she is and where she came from," said Rosalie. "And also, why she decided to become a vampire."

"Nobody decides to become a vampire, Rose," said Carlisle. "It's just an unfortunate thing that happens."

"But what about Bella?" Rosalie snapped. "You and I both know that Bella wants to become a vampire."

"No she doesn't," said Esme. "She wants to be with Edward."

"Indeed," said Rosalie as she stormed in anger.

"There's just no reasoning with Rose," Emmett said sadly as he watched Rosalie leave. Bree stared out the doorway to the guest room and everyone was staring at her. They didn't know what to say to her. Had she overheard anything? Would she ask them what was going on?

Bree had very little social skills and even when she was with the newborns, she said very little to them. But now, she was with the Cullens, so how was she going to interact with them?

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	4. Chapter 4

The next day, the entire Cullen family was sitting in the living room watching TV. The news was reporting about a brazen attack in Vancouver that left over 2,000 people dead and nearly 1 million people wounded.

Carlisle shook his head, knowing that he would have to go to Canada to assist at the hospitals there, as most of the hospitals were filled to the brim with scores of injured people. He hated having to leave his family behind, but he had to do his duty. Numerous lives were at stake.

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><p>Sabrina, Ron, and Jacquel were at a hotel near the Puget Sound, and all three were watching the news unfold. "Looks like there's no trip to Canada for us anytime soon," said Sabrina.<p>

"You said it," said Jacquel. "I refuse to be in Vancouver if there are shooters running around the city unchecked, unchallenged, killing at will. I will not give birth to my child in such a terrible place like that at all."

"I agree," said Ron. "It's not safe for us to leave just yet. We need to stay here and ponder our next move."

They all turned their attention to the woman who was laying under the blanket. Although Jacquel was able to heal her, she did not wake up. "I do hope she lives," said Sabrina. "We need to find out who she is and where she came from…"

"…and why does she have that tattoo on her right shoulder," Jacquel chimed in.

Ron turned back to the television as the reporter put out a description of the shooter. No one knew who he was or where he came from, but everyone now knew that he was the main shooter. There were no official ties to any terrorist organization that was known. Ron said, "Is that it? Is this the real world?"

"Ron," said Jacquel, "do you understand why muggles never hide crimes such as this from the world?"

Ron hung his head in shame. He said, "I can't believe that the 13 people who Pettigrew killed were called victims were claimed to have dropped dead. No one bothered to ask about who Pettigrew was or anything like that at all."

Sabrina said, "It would have made no difference had they found out the truth about that event."

"Still, think of what should have happened if they found out who Pettigrew was," said Ron. "He should have been arrested and sent to jail, not turned into a rat and living with my family! Why is my life so messed up?"

Jacquel could say nothing else, but she knew that Ron was right. Mostly, he was right about the whole incident. Someone had gone on a rampage and shot up the entire downtown of Vancouver, B.C. and many people were killed. She knew that Lord Voldemort had killed scores of innocent people, but no one seemed to care, especially since the Ministry of Magic had kept most of the news regarding the attacks under wraps and obliviated many of the muggle witnessed who had survived the attacks.

Now, since it was a mere muggle who brought upon this unprovoked attack upon the city of Vancouver, everyone around the world would be finding out about it the next day.

If Jacquel were indeed lucky, then she would not have to go to Vancouver after all. She would have to find out about the strange woman though.

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><p>Bella said," Dad, do you really have to go to Vancouver?"<p>

"Yes," said Charlie. "But not to worry, though. I'll be safe and there's no way that that shooter can harm old Charlie here."

"Charlie, this is dangerous," Billy warned him. "You don't know what he's like. He'll kill you if you are not careful."

Charlie nodded, then grabbed his overnight bag. He said, "I'll be back on Saturday. Bella, stay safe. If there's any trouble, Billy can help you." He then got into the police cruiser and drove away.

Bella looked sad as she watched her father drive away. Billy said to her, "Don't worry, Bella. He'll be fine. Now let's see what's there to eat. I'm starving."

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><p>In the guest room, Bree sat on the bed. She had been crying for a good while. No one had paid her any attention since the Volturi spared her life.<p>

But then, Esme came to her and said, "Are you all right? You've cried for a good while."

Bree said, "I can't believe that I have wasted almost my whole life."

"Sometimes we all feel that way," said Esme, "but you can remake your future. First, you must go back to a time when you were innocent, before all of this happened."

Carlisle joined them and said, "Bree, it's time that you learn to live as we live. I will go with you to hunt for your first meal."

Bree nodded and followed Carlisle out the door. She was beginning to learn that the Cullens were not as Victoria and Riley had described them. But she had a long way to go before she could fully become a member of the Cullen family.

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	5. Chapter 5

After an unnecessarily prolonged hiatus, I'm back with a new chapter in this story!

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><p>"I don't suppose you know how we're going to deal with this so-called killer," said Emmett.<p>

Carlisle said, "No, we don't. But if we don't find him and soon, then everyone in Forks is going to pay for not stopping him."

Jasper said, "But what about Bree? Her emotions are sending me into hyperdrive!"

"I know," said Carlisle, "but we need to stop him before he strikes again. Alice, can you watch his plans?"

"Of course," said Alice. "Now if you don't mind, I have a wedding to plan."

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><p>Jacquel frowned as she tried to sit up, but to no avail. <em>This can't be good<em>, she thought to herself. _I can't be in labor, not right now_!

"Jacquel, you OK in there?" Sabrina shouted.

"Uh, not really," Jacquel shouted back. "In fact, I need a doctor."

"Of course," said Sabrina. "Let's get you to the hospital."

Ron said, "But what about me?"

Sabrina said, "You have to stay here and keep an eye on the wolf woman until we return. She could be waking up soon and she might need our help."

Ron continued protesting as Sabrina helped Jacquel to her feet and they walked out the door.

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><p>Bree was sitting back in her room; her first hunt wasn't as exciting as she thought. She frowned as she watched Carlisle and Jasper drain the bodies of several animals, wondering why the Cullens would eat animals when it was conveniently easier and better to eat humans.<p>

Carlisle said to her, "When I was first bitten and turned, I was desperate. I had no idea of what to do. I knew that a vampire's true nature was to bite and feed from humans, but I wanted to be better than that. So, I turned to animals instead."

"Did anyone ever accept your…strange…way of life?" Bree asked.

"Only my family and a handful of other vampires," said Carlisle. "Other than that, the other vampires thought I was strange. Even the Volturi themselves laughed at my ideas and they sought to cure me from my strange diet. But they failed and I eventually came here."

Bree frowned again and Jasper said, "For me, it's not easy to make the switch from eating humans to eating animals. Sometimes, I have been known to attempt to eat humans. But for you, it'll be easier, since you're still a newborn and all…"

Bree had eaten three deer on that trip. But she still wasn't too happy about having to eat animals. She knew that in time, she would get used to the animal blood and if she lived long enough, she might be able to actually be around humans and not eat them accidentally.

But for now, she was still conflicted over what she wanted and what the family needed.

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><p>Alice gasped as she received a vision of a young girl collapsing in the streets. "Carlisle," she cried, "you need to get to 800 Oak Street immediately. Someone needs you…"<p>

She didn't get to finish because Carlisle grabbed his bag and rushed out the door.

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><p>Bella was severely conflicted now.<p>

On one hand, she knew that she wanted to marry Edward Cullen, but on the other hand, Jacob Black claimed to be in love with her. She didn't think that was right. _This is all wrong_, she thought to herself as she sat by the window in her room. _Think, Bella, think! This is definitely about Edward and Jacob. So let's weigh the options that you have._

She grabbed a pen and a notebook and wrote down a list of things that would happen if she chose Edward and Jacob:

_Choose Edward=happily ever after, possible immortality, I get to be with him forever, be very happy  
><em>_Choose Jacob=not-so-happily ever after, will die a mortal, be forced to forget Edward and NEVER see him again, possible depression, filing for divorce_

_Whoa_, Bella thought to herself. _I will NOT end up like my mother. It's time for me to think about ME for a change._

She wrote down: _If I choose me=college, possible marriage to Edward Cullen_

_Pros=go to college and graduate.  
><em>_Cons=meet someone else and marry them, NO Edward _

_It's time for me to deal with this_, Bella thought to herself. _I need to write down everything that had happened to me from the time I came to Forks to right now_. She never imagined that she would find out things that were wrong with herself as well…

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	6. Chapter 6

Bree had lost so much in her life, and yet gained so much more.

She had caught several deer and ate them, knowing that before long, she would need to hunt again. There had been a severe deer population explosion and the deer were causing nothing but trouble for the commuters on the roads.

Bree frowned, knowing that this was to be the rest of her life. Having to eat animals when she had eaten the dregs of human society was taking a toll on her and her sanity.

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><p>Carlisle Cullen examined the girl who had fainted outside of the biggest hotel in forks.<p>

"Is she dead?" another doctor said to him.

"Well, the worst has apparently passed, but as far as I can tell, there was no baby inside her," said Carlisle. "Even if it was carried to term, it would have been a deformed child."

"Better for it to die before its birth than for it to live a sad life in a cruel world," said Doctor Prencel. "And besides, the girl is still young. She'll have plenty of chances to have more children."

Carlisle stared at the dead fetus in his hands. Was it a boy or a girl? He could not tell. All he knew was that the moment young Jacquel Romanov had set foot in Forks, her child was doomed.

He hoped that Esme would remain calm when he told her of this incident.

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><p>Bella was writing down everything that she knew about herself: she was kind, smart, and willing to help others. But she was also stubborn and egoistic, getting mad when she didn't get her way.<p>

Billy had prepared lunch and they ate in the living room while watching the news. The shooter had been captured, tackled to the ground by Charlie Swan himself. He was currently being held in a mental hospital, as no prison wanted to take him.

Bella refused to pay attention to the news, as her whole life was more important. She began thinking about the girl named Bree and why she stood up for her. What did Bree have to offer her?

Bella saw the answer right away: Bree was Bella's future if she became a vampire.

She also thought about Leah and how she reacted when Sam imprinted on her cousin Emily. Leah was Bella's future if she went with Jacob.

Bella made a few more notes and then picked up the phone. She, Edward, and Jacob needed to have a long talk.

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><p>"Well, that's so sad. Does Jacquel know?" Ron said when Sabrina told him about the baby's death.<p>

"Jacquel is slightly aware of that," said Sabrina. "In fact, she said that she met a fortune-teller, and the fortune-teller claimed that her baby would die if she left England and came here. As usual, Jacquel called her a liar, but now that this has happened…"

Ron dropped the phone when he saw Leah staring at him. She had a strange look in her eyes, as if she had woken up from a long sleep…

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	7. Chapter 7

The next day, Bree found herself waking up in the same spot that she was in yesterday. Her sanity was taking a bit of a nosedive due to the sudden abrupt changes in her life. _In one week I have gone from human-eating monster to being in the enemy's camp_, she thought to herself. _What would Riley say_?

Just then, the thought of Riley filled her with a sense of fear. What would he say if he found out that Bree was with the Cullens? Bree stood up and rushed outside, hoping to find any trace of Riley and tell him the truth about the Cullen family.

Esme was standing in the kitchen, trying to keep up her human appearance. She noticed Bree and said, "Now where do you think you're going?"

"Out?" Bree offered as an answer.

"Not today, you won't," said Alice as she pounced on the smaller girl. "Not unless you're going hunting with us." Bree glared at her.

"Part of the deal," said Jasper. "Our clan, our rules. We don't go out unless it is completely necessary. We can't have too many people knowing that we're vampires."

Emmett said, "Well, too bad you can't go out, but do you wanna play Call of Duty?"

"Don't ask her that," Rosalie scoffed.

"What? You think she'd be interested in shopping?" Emmett snapped.

"SHOPPING!" Alice squealed. "We must go NOW!" And before Bree could respond, Alice and Rosalie snatched her and rushed to Alice's car.

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><p>At the hospital, Carlisle was staring at the dead half-formed fetus in his hand. He shook his head, knowing for a fact that he would have to notify any relatives of Jacquel Romanov about the baby's death.<p>

"Doctor Cullen!" Doctor Prencel cried out.

"What is it?" said Carlisle.

"Come and see!" said Doctor Prencel.

Carlisle frowned as he left the morgue and went back to Jacquel's room. There, he saw several nurses holding what appeared to be a very tiny boy. The little boy was so small that not even the smallest crib could hold him. He was screaming and crying as he was pulled into life.

"So the baby was a twin?" said Carlisle.

"Ever heard of fetus in fetu?" said Doctor Jones. Everyone stared at him. "It's a condition in which one twin swallows the other twin. In most cases, the result is a miscarriage although there were some people who had survived. In this case, however, the absorbed twin killed the host twin and escaped, thus the death of the first twin and the reason why the second twin appears to be smaller than most premature babies."

"Just like Cain and Abel," said Doctor Prencel.

Carlisle frowned as he stared at the tiny little boy. He was still screaming and crying, even as doctors and nurses were checking over him. The baby opened his eyes and stared right at Carlisle. His eyes were pitch black.

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><p>Bella continued to write down her observations about herself when Jacob walked into the house. He said, "Well, Bella, what's new?"<p>

"We need to talk about certain things," said Bella. "Mainly about us." Jacob stared at her. "I am in no position to keep fighting with you, Jacob."

"Why?" said Jacob.

"I tried to be friends with you," Bella continued, "be even my reserved patience has run out. Now, I'm going to give you an ultimatum: either you back down and cease all attempts to stop me from marrying Edward Cullen or I'll cut you off permanently and find some different friends, friends who won't try to cut into my relationship with him."

Billy came into the room, but said nothing. Jacob said, "Why?"

"You heard me, Jacob Black," Bella snapped. "You tried to intimidate me, hurt me, and lie to me. I don't appreciate that at all! I've warned you now; don't make me act upon it!"

Jacob and Billy stared at Bella in shock.

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	8. Chapter 8

The baby was asleep in the nursery. Apparently, the excitement that followed his birth had died down after the baby's pitch-black eyes were focused upon those of Doctor Carlisle Cullen.

Carlisle himself felt that the baby had him under some kind of spell; no normal baby would have black eyes. Did the baby know who Carlisle really was? Within a few moments, the baby looked away from the vampire and at his own frail mother. Jacquelyn Claire Ulrich had delivered him and his sibling, but his sibling was now dead. The young girl was lying asleep in her bed, never stirring as she laid there. She had no idea that a second baby had been born.

_Do I know her_? Carlisle thought to himself as he left the nursery and resumed his duties. Little did he know that the moment that question was answered, his life (plus the lives of his entire family) would be changed forever…

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><p>As for Bella, she and Jacob had been fighting for a good while now.<p>

Both were arguing over Bella's future, in which she planned to marry Edward Cullen and become a vampire. Bella believed that Jacob had deluded himself into thinking that he was in love with her when it was just lust. Billy, Jacob's father, sat there quietly.

At the end of the argument, Bella snapped at Jacob, saying, "You just don't get it, do you?" She stormed away just as Edward came into the house. Edward said, "Why do you do this?"

"Do what?" said Jacob.

"You make her angry," said Edward. "You don't give up when it's clear that you're not going to win."

"Bella is in love with me," Jacob snapped.

"You're lusting after her," Edward shot back.

"How do you kn—" Jacob was beginning to yell again when he remembered that Edward could hear his thoughts. "Oh yeah."

"Now, unless you're going to be supportive of whatever decision Bella makes, I suggest that you leave her alone," Edward snapped. "And besides, what can you give her? You're a wolf, a Quileute. You will imprint on some girl and leave Bella hanging."

"I would never—" Jacob began, but Edward continued, "I heard Leah's thoughts. She thought she and Sam would be married, but Sam imprinted on Emily and forgot about Leah. You know nothing of her heartbreak."

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><p>Speaking of Leah, she was still asleep in Jacquel's hotel room, but she was also in a dream. A Quileute chief was staring at her. "Leah," he said, "you must return."<p>

"How can I return when they think I am dead?" Leah cried out.

"Your brother mourns for you," said the Quileute. "They miss you. You must return to them."

"How can I?" said Leah. "I can't even wake up!"

"You must," said the Quileute. "You must live."

Leah knew that the Quileute was right; she needed to live. But would she be willing to return to life if she knew how they were tarnishing her legacy?

* * *

><p>Bree knew that she was going mad when Alice and Rosalie dragged her into several clothing stores and brought enough outfits to clothe the entire population of Forks.<p>

She hated how they were treating her as a friend. After all, she had been recruited to kill them. But why did the Volturi spare her?

Bree then thought about Bella Swan, the girl who Riley and Victoria had wanted to kill. She had very little knowledge of who Bella was and why Bella had wanted her to be spared.

She thought back to the moment when it happened: _Bree was facing Jane, Alec, Felix, and Demetri of the Volturi. The battle was over and the entire newborn army was dead. Riley and Victoria were nowhere to be seen. Bree was all alone. The Volturi guards were dealing with the Cullens when Jane noticed Bree and questioned her regarding her role in the newborn battle._

_"Take care of that," said Jane to Felix as they stared at Bree. "I want to go home."_

_But Bella had stepped forward, crying out, "WAIT! I think you guys should let her live."_

_"Why should we?" Jane smirked. "After all, she was part of a group of newborns who were programmed to kill you. We don't give second chances."_

_"Well, what if she could prove her usefulness?" Bella said. "Then can she live?"_

_"We'll think about it," said Alec._

Bree didn't know why Bella stood up for her, as she could have killed Bella easily. But what had made her stop in her tracks? She remembered the next thing that Bella said: "_I believe that maybe Bree didn't want to be a part of this. I've seen people being executed and they didn't agree to be part of the crime that they are accused of. So in this sense, she is innocent until proven guilty._"

But was Bree really innocent? She was a runaway from some little town in the State of Oregon, someone who had rebelled against authority. Her mother had left the family and was dead somewhere and she could care less about her father's fate, as her father had abused her until she grew tired of it and bolted from the home, never to return.

_This is my punishment from God_, Bree thought to herself as Alice and Rosalie were driving her home. _I should have gotten some help instead of running away. I don't see how being part of the Yellow Eyes is going to change anything about me_.

Little did she know that something from her past as going to resurface and slap her in the face…

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	9. Chapter 9

Jacquelyn found herself waking up in a hospital room.

She never liked hospitals, as they reminded her of various illnesses that she had had and the time that the doctors were forced to remove both her appendix and tonsils. She wasn't too happy about either of those events.

But now, there was a new reason why she was in the hospital, and by the time she found out what it was, all hell had already broken loose.

* * *

><p>As for Bree Tanner, she knew what was at stake for her.<p>

After her unexpected shopping spree, she was amazed at how much the Cullens seemed to care about her, and also care about each other. It was so much different than when she was with Riley and the newborns.

Speaking of which, she was unsure if Fred was still alive or not.

Bree forced herself out of bed, not that she really needed to sleep, and went to the kitchen. There, she overheard a huge fight between Rosalie and Carlisle. Apparently, one of Carlisle's patients had been very sick to the point of death and Carlisle was pondering the issue of having her turned.

Rosalie, however, wanted the girl to die; the girl was just 15 years old.

"Her time has come, Carlisle," said Rosalie. "She had her chance to live and she blew it. Can't you just let her die?"

"What are you saying? You wold rather allow an innocent child to die when there's the alternative?" Carlisle snapped at her. "I can't believe that you would say something like that, Rosalie! How could you be so selfish, especially with someone else's life?"

The argument continued as Bree silently slipped outside the door to the Cullen house. She really needed to think right now. She ran until she was a mile and a half away from the house, then climbed a huge tree. When she reached the top, she saw something that wiped any ideas of finding Riley or Fred.

There was a huge river flowing, the trees were swaying in an early summer wind, the animals were creeping about, and the clouds decorated a huge blue sky. This is what I have been missing out on, Bree thought to herself. I have wasted so much time trying to figure out how to survive that I nearly missed the point of life on earth. What have I done with my life?

"Bree?" a voice called her back. Esme was standing at the foot of the tree that Bree had climbed. Bree immediately jumped down and approached the vampire mother. Esme said, "You are not happy."

"I know," said Bree. "I have wasted so many weeks with trying to survive that I have almost forgotten that nature exists."

"So many others have claimed the same thing," said Esme. "This is why we are living here. There is nothing that is more wonderful than enjoying nature, and so many people who drive though this town can attain to that. But you are unhappy for several other reasons."

"I have run away from home and I was at the end of my rope when I met Riley Biers," said Bree. "He showed me kindness, but I wish I knew that he was a vampire before I accepted his offer. I was desperate and needed a way to get food without resorting to selling myself for money."

"That's terrible that you would have to do something like that just to take care of yourself," said Esme. "We will make sure that you don't have to do anything like that. Now, let's go inside; we have many important things that need to be discussed."

As they walked back to the Cullen house, Bree couldn't help but wonder about the fate of the mysterious girl who was at the center of the argument between Carlisle and Rosalie. If anything, the girl needed help…and perhaps a voice. Someone needed to speak up for her, and soon.

* * *

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	10. Chapter 10

Bree returned to the house, but Carlisle was gone. Probably headed back to the hospital to deal with the mysterious girl who was the subject of an argument between him and Rosalie.

Speaking of which, Rosalie too had left the house, with Emmett chasing after her. Alice and Jasper were in their room and Edward was out, leaving Bree to herself.

She spent a long time just thinking about what she had seen and how she got to this place. She knew that had she given up, she could have been a victim of human trafficking or worse. She could have been forced to return to her abusive father, never to leave his house as long as she lived.

Bree found herself crying once again; this time, she hated herself for running away and not getting help for her problems. She didn't know why she was even still alive at this point.

For now, Bree had to face her past.

* * *

><p>Jacquelyn was now fully awake, and truly upset.<p>

She found out that her first baby had died and that a second baby had been born too small. He was too tiny to live, but he was alive anyhow.

She forced herself out of bed and walked to the neonatal intensive care unit, staring at the tiny little boy that was in an incubator. He was screaming and crying, and scores of doctors and nurses were checking in on him every 15 minutes.

But all the baby wanted was his mother.

Jacquelyn reached out to the baby, who grabbed her right middle finger with one hand. The baby staredat his mother with his pitch-black eyes, filling her with fear. The doctor noticed her and said, "Your son was born 12 weeks early, but you couldn't tell just by his size."

"How did he get those eyes?" said Jacquelyn. "All I know is that my family has had green eyes, but some of them had either blue eyes or gray eyes. I'm the only one who has a mixture of a blue eye and a silver eye. None of us have brown eyes, so how did he get black eyes?"

"We are still trying to figure that out," said the doctor. "We believe that he may have been absorbed by his twin, but then he killed his twin, which in turn caused the first baby's death."

"Was it a boy or a girl?" Jacquelyn said in wonder about the fate of the first baby.

"Neither," said the doctor. The baby began crying as a nurse came to give him some medicine. "The little one here is a boy, and as such, he requires a name."

Jacquelyn wondered what name she would give the baby; she had no idea that the infant existed at all. Until now, that was. Carlisle approached her and said, "I see that you have recovered."

"I do," said Jacquelyn. "We spellcasters are very difficult to kill off. But why did the first baby die and he didn't?"

Carlisle himself wondered the same thing as he watched the baby being weighed and measured. The baby screamed and cried as several other people came to stare at him. Carlisle gasped as the baby stared at him again with those dangerous black eyes. He barely registered a piece of paper being slipped into his hand; the paper read _His name is Alexis Nicholas_.

* * *

><p>Edward and Bella continued talking as they stared at Bella's notes. Earlier, Bella had to reassess what she really wanted out of life. She knew she loved Edward, but did she really want to go through with the marriage?<p>

"We have a year, Bella," said Edward. "One year. Let's not rush into this."

"You heard what they said," said Bella. "Either I am changed before the year is out, or they'll destroy us all."

"If they even try to hurt you, I will hurt them back," said Edward. "We do not need the Volturi hovering above us. Let us take our time with this relationship."

"What about Jacob?" said Bella.

"Don't worry about Jacob," said Edward. "He will imprint on another girl and leave you alone. It's only a matter of time."

_Time, something that we truly don't have_, Bella thought to herself as she sat back in her seat. She knew that in the coming weeks, she and Edward would be getting married and going away to college. Charlie would be by himself once again.

She couldn't allow that to happen at all.

_Maybe I should skip college and start working_, Bella thought. She wondered how long she would have before she was to be turned.

_Turned_.

Suddenly, she and Edward realized that they had just made a huge mistake


	11. Chapter 11

Jacquelyn now knew the truth behind her son's strange birth, but that didn't mean that she had to accept it.

Bella and Edward realize that they had made a mistake by dealing with the Volturi, and both of them could pay for that mistake with their lives.

But as for Bree, she wondered what would possess Riley to join Victoria and attack the citizens of Seattle and try to attack the Cullen family.

Five people who would never meet in a different situation were drawn together by one thing.

* * *

><p>Edward said, "I don't know what we're going to do, Bella. We really need to fix this problem right now or else the Volturi will destroy us."<p>

"I agree," said Bella. "We need to take a look at everything that had led up to this point in our lives."

She had written a list of events that detailed the history of their relationship:

_1. I move to Forks._

_2. I meet Edward._

_3. Edward saves my life._

_4. Edward reveals that he is a vampire._

_5. I fall in love with Edward._

_6. I meet Edward's family._

_7. The baseball game._

_8. James shows up._

_9. James attacks me and Edward saves me and kills him._

_10. Edward takes me to the prom._

_11. My eighteenth birthday._

_12. Edward and I break up._

_13. I meet up with Jacob._

_14. Laurent tries to attack me, but some wolves show up and they kill him._

_15. I find out that Jacob is a wolf._

_16. I go cliff-diving._

_17. Edward thinks I am dead and goes to Volterra to die._

_18. I find Edward in Volterra._

_19. I meet the Volturi.__Edward and I make plans._

_20. We learn about the killings in Seattle._

_21. I am torn between Edward and Jacob._

_22. I find out that Victoria is creating an army of newborn vampires; the army was to destroy the Cullens and kill me._

_23. Edward proposes marriage._

_24. The newborns are defeated by the Cullens and wolves._

_25. Carlisle intercedes for a surviving newborn._

To be honest, Bella was uncertain about the last part of the list, but the rest was their history. She said to Edward, "I just don't see where we have run into any problems."

"I have," said Edward. "You and Jacob, what you have with him, that's unhealthy. It's like you're stringing him along."

"But I'm his friend!" Bella cried out. "Can a guy and a girl just be friends?"

"There's one of your problems," said Edward. " You think you're Jacob's friend, but Jacob thinks that he loves you."

"But I love you more," Bella said softly. "Jacob and I, we would never work. He's a wolf, a Quileute. Quileutes imprint, and I know for certain that I'm never going to be imprinted on by Jacob Black."

"What if someone else imprinted on you?" said Edward. "What would happen to us?"

"Then maybe I shouldn't go to La Push anymore," said Bella. A tear slid down her face. "I don't want anything to happen so I steal someone's boyfriend or ruin our relationship. I'm better than that."

"Bella, you just can't go cutting yourself away from your friends just because of your insecurities," said Edward. "I know what you're afraid of; you're afraid that if you were imprinted on and the wolf who imprinted on you has a girlfriend, you would break up that relationship and be accused of stealing anther woman's man. I've seen it happen many times. Leah Clearwater has suffered because of this. For that, I blame myself."

Little did Edward and Bella know was that Billy Black had been listening to them talking for the past few minutes. He shook his head, knowing that Bella was right. She couldn't just keep stringing Jacob along and she didn't want to ruin any more relationships, not for the sake of holding onto a fantasy of a boy and a girl just being friends.

Billy wondered if now would be a good time to tell Bella of what he knew about imprinting and true love.


End file.
